National Basketball Association Game Capsules
Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) – Kemba Walker netted 24 points in the Charlotte Bobcats’ 95-87 win over the Sacramento Kings from Time Warner Cable Arena. Gerald Henderson contributed 20 points and Ramon Sessions provided 16 off the bench as Charlotte snapped a three-game losing streak. Al Jefferson had 10 points and nine rebounds before fouling out. The loss spoiled a tremendous effort from DeMarcus Cousins, who filled it up with 30 points, 17 rebounds and six assists for Sacramento. Isaiah Thomas had 21 points as the Kings fell to 1-2 since Rudy Gay made his team debut last week.
Final Score: Portland 119, Cleveland 116
Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) – Damian Lillard’s eighth 3-pointer came just before the buzzer and gave the soaring Portland Trail Blazers a thrilling 119-116 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The eventual game-winner was already the fourth in the young season for Lillard, who was simply sensational in posting 36 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in leading the Blazers to their fifth straight victory and ninth in their last 10 games. Portland led by 10 with two minutes remaining before Kyrie Irving led a late flurry to pull the Cavs even with 7.1 seconds remaining. Portland received 26 points and 15 rebounds from LaMarcus Aldridge, 19 points from Wesley Matthews and 14 points and nine boards from Nicolas Batum. Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters each scored 25 points to lead Cleveland, with Irving also doling out 10 assists in the setback.
Final Score: LA Lakers 96, Memphis 92
Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) – Kobe Bryant played well in the second game of a back-to-back and finished with 21 points on 9-of-18 shooting as the Los Angeles Lakers downed the struggling Memphis Grizzlies, 96-92, on Tuesday. Pau Gasol added 21 points and nine rebounds and Nick Young came off the bench and provided 18 points for the Lakers, who bounced back from Monday’s 114-100 setback in Atlanta. Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with 18 points, 16 rebounds and five assists, but Memphis is still mired in a 1-6 slump, with five of those losses coming on its home floor.
Final Score: Oklahoma City 105, Denver 93
Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) – Russell Westbrook flirted with a triple- double, tallying 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder topped the Denver Nuggets, 105-93, from Pepsi Center. Kevin Durant dropped in a game-high 30 points for Oklahoma City, which stretched its winning streak to seven games following a loss in Portland on Dec. 4. Serge Ibaka recorded a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in the victory. J.J. Hickson led five Nuggets in double figures with 20 points and 14 boards, while Ty Lawson broke out of a mini-slump with 17 points and 13 assists. Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler scored 13 points apiece, and Nate Robinson reached double figures for the 13th time in his last 15 games with 12 off the bench.
Final Score: Golden State 104, New Orleans 93
Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Stephen Curry had 28 points and 12 assists in the Golden State Warriors’ 104-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. David Lee added 21 points and 17 rebounds for the Warriors, who have won six straight against New Orleans. Klay Thompson and Marreese Speights tallied 16 and 12 points, respectively. Golden State forward Andre Iguodala returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with a hamstring injury. He ended with two points in 17 minutes of action. Ryan Anderson scored 21 points for the Pelicans, who have lost two in a row since a two-game winning streak. Jason Smith had 12 points and Jrue Holiday and Austin Rivers each donated 11 points.
Categorized in: NBA